Piper PA-18 N1879A

Summary

On 1 September 1996 at about 04:00 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N1879A was involved in an accident near McCarthy, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 September 1996 at 04:00

Classification

Accident

Location

McCarthy, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

55.9199, -159.4899

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N1879A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC96LA138

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusty wind conditions, and his selection of an unsuitable landing/takeoff site. A factor associated with the accident was the gusty wind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported he was attempting to take off from a remote ridgeline with one hunting client aboard. He said the wind was gusting from the southeast at 5 to 20 knots. During the takeoff roll, the right wing struck Alder bushes, and the airplane was pulled to the right, collapsing the left main landing gear and damaging the left wing. The pilot wrote in his report that the accident could have been avoided by not attempting to take off from the ridge in gusty wind conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.